Social networks, or social utilities that track and enable connections between members (including people, businesses, and other entities), have become prevalent in recent years. In particular, social networking websites allow members to communicate information more efficiently. For example, a member may post contact information, background information, job information, hobbies, and/or other member-specific data to a location associated with the member on a social networking website. Other members can then review the posted data by browsing member profiles or searching for profiles including specific data. The social networking websites also allow members to associate themselves with other members, thus creating a web of connections among the members of the social networking website. These connections among the members can be exploited by the website to offer more relevant information to each member in view of the members' own stated interests in their connections.
Social networking websites typically incorporate a system for connecting members to content that is most likely to be relevant to each member. For example, members may be grouped according to one or more common attributes in their profiles, such as geographic location, employer, job type, age, music preferences, interests, or other attributes. Members of the social networking website or external parties can then use these groups to customize or target information delivery so that information that might be of particular interest to a group can be communicated to that group.
Many review sites or social networks sites sometimes make it difficult for consumers to make a decision about a product or service based on the feedback or reviews posted on those sites due to the fact that an item could have a positive as well as negative feedback or comments. Often a good product or service may get several positive reviews and just a few bad reviews from some unsatisfied customers may affect a decision of a person to purchase this product or service. In addition, customers who had a negative experience with the service or product are more likely to leave their negative feedback on those site rather than those who had a positive experience.
A user is more likely to make a decision on a product or service based on a trusted source who represents similar interests as the user rather than an average rating of opinions of people the user does not know or an opinion of some experts from a site which might be deriving advertising revenue from the products/services they review. In addition, even if the user considers the review of a specific business from one of those sites, the information may be outdated and no longer relevant as it is very difficult for any site to constantly have experts review every business out there.
There is a need for specifically addressing the issue of making a selection decision about a product or service based on a person's connections or on opinions of experts on the specific topic of search.